Electrical counting system



Aug. 1, 1939. w, FRINK 2,168,198

ELECTRICAL COUNTING SYSTEM Filedbec. 17, 1%? v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.5. m f

INVENTOR:

WW-hw Aug/1, 1939. w FR'INK 2,168,198

' ELECTRICAL COUNTING SYSTE" Filed Dec. 17, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 76 77 /26 127- T Y T [33 INVENTOR:

- PatentedAug. .1, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to electrical counting systems; .that is, systems for producing a predetermined result, such as the actuation of an electrical device, after the occurrence of a pre- 5 determined number of events. Such counting systems are useful 'in many diil'erent devices, such as remote-control systems, automatic telephone systems, and the automatic alarms used for receiving radio distress signals. 'Usually, the events to be counted are a series'of interruptions, reversals, or impulses, of an electric current, or can be made to produce such interruptions, reversals, or impulses. For counting such events, devices known as stepping switches are sometimes used. Such switches comprise slidingcontacts whichare moved step by step over groups of fixed contacts and are controlled by electromagnets and ratchet mechanisms. However, for some applications stepping switches are unsatisfactory because of their cost, because they are subject to considerable mechanical wear, and mechanical defects, or because-theydraw a relatively heavy intermittent current which places special requirements on the power supply. The

systems which do not require the use of stepping switches, and which are subject to relatively little mechanical wear, draw relatively little current,

shown in diagrams of other embodiments of my invention.

Although in Fig. l the controlling element for energizing and deenergizing relay 3 is representedas a switch, I, relay 3 might be controlled by some other device, such as a vacuum tube, cam-operated contacts, or the contacts of another relay. switch I should therefore be considered to symbolize all such devices. A similar statement applies to switch I, and to the switches appearing in the other figures, All batteries appearing in the various figures should be considered to represent direct-current sources in general. I

When switch I is first closed, relay 3 is energized, and operates all of its contacts. Condenser III isthen connected across battery I through contacts I4 and' ll of relay 3 and conobject of'my invention is to provide countingbodiments of my invention, and Fig. 3 shows more tacts I1 and i. of relay 4, and is quickly charged to the voltage of the battery.

When switch I is opened, causing relay 3 to be deenergized, condenser it is disconnected from battery I, and is connected across the coil of relay 6 through contacts l4 and ii of relay 3. The discharge of condenser it through the coil' of relay 6 energizes 6, causing it to close contacts I! and 20, which connect the coil of 6 to the positive side of battery 5, thus establishing a holding circuit which keeps relay 6 in the energized condition.

Contacts l9 and 20 oi relay 6, and the corresponding contacts of relays l, 8, and 9, are preferably, though not necessarily, arranged as shown in Fig. 2. Current in coll 3i causes armature 32, which is pivoted at 33, to move toward coil 3!, with the result that armature extension 34 exerts a force against contact 20, causing it to touch contact is. After this occurs, continued motion of the armature causes a force to be exerted against insulator 35, thus closing contacts 24 and 13. This arrangement makes it possible to close contacts III and IS without moving contact 24, thus increasing the sensitivity of the relay so far as the closing of contacts 20 and i8 is concerned. I Similar mechanical arrangements of contacts are in commercial use in other relay systems. Fig. 3 is another view of the relay contacts, taken at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1, when switch i is closed a second time, relay 3 is again energized, and causes condenser ii to be connected across battery 5 through contacts 2i and 22 of relay 3, contacts i9 and 20 of relay 6 (which is still in the energized COlidltlOIlLhl'idCOlltflCtS ii and iii of relay 4. Condenser'll is thus charged to the battery voltage. when switch i is subsequently opened, relay 3 causes condenser ii to be disconnected from battery 5 and connected to the coil of relay 1, which then becomes energized and establishes a holding circuit for itself in the same manner as relay 8.

By a similar process, the third closing and third opening of switch I cause relay 8 to become energized, and the fourth closing and fourth opening of'switch l cause relay 8 to become energized. By'means of contacts 23 and 24 of relay 6, various electrical devices can be ,actuated after the first closing and opening of switch I. By means of similar contacts on relays 1, 8, and 8, other electrical devices can be actuated after the second, third, and fourth, impulses of current through the coil of relay 3.

It is obviously possible to register more than four successive impulses by supplying additional relays designed and connected similarly to relays 6, 1, 8, and 9, and also supplying the necessary additional contacts on relay 3, and additional condensers.

Relay 4 of Fig. 1 serves to restore relays 6, 1, 8, and 9, to their normal condition: When switch 2 is closed, energizing relay 4, contact |1 moves from contact l8 to contact l9, thus breaking the holding circuits of all relays that have previously been energized by condenser discharges, and short-circuiting the coils of these relays. At the same time it short-circuits allcondensers that are bridged across the coils of energized relays, until the voltages drop sufficiently to release the armatures of the relays, which. then return to their normal condition.

When the number of impulses to be registered is limited to four, as, for example, in the case of the automatic distress signal alarm, the number of relays and condensers can be reduced by using the circuits of Fig. 4. When switch 4| is closed, energizing relay 43, condenser 49 is connected across battery 45 through contacts 56 and of relay 46, contacts 53 and 52 of relay 43, contacts 59 and 58 of relay 48, and contacts 63 and 62 of relay 41. When switch 4| is opened, deenergizing relay 43, condenser 49 is disconnected from battery 45 and connected across the coil of relay 46 through contacts 52 and 54 of relay 43. Condenser 49 then discharges through the coil of relay 46, thus energizing 46 sufliciently to close contacts 64 and 65, which connect the coil of 46 to the positive side of battery 45, thus establishing a holding circuit for relay 46.

Contacts 64 and 'of relay 46, and the corresponding contacts of relays 41 and 48, are preferably arranged in the same manner as contacts l9 and 28 in Figs. 2 and 3.

The second closing of switch 4| causes condenser 50 to be charged, through an obvious circuit which includes contacts 65 and 64 of relay 46; and. the second opening of switch 4| causes condenser 58 to discharge through the coil of relay 41, which then becomes energized and es tablishes a holding circuit for itself. When relay 41 becomes energized, contact 63 moves from contact 62 to contact 6|, thus disconnecting the coil of relay 46 from the negative side of battery 45 and placing a short circuit across the coil of 46 and across condenser 49. Relay 46 then becomes deenergized, and returns to its normal condition. Relay 41 remains energized, however.

.The third closing and the third opening of switch 4| cause relay 48 to become energized and to close a holding circuit for itself. The energizing of relay 48 causes contact 59 to move from contact 58 to contact 68, thus removing the short circuit from the coil of relay 46 and reconnecting the negative end of this coil and the negative side of condenser 49 to the negative side of battery 45. The fourth closing of switch 4| is therefore able to cause condenser 49 to become charged,

- and the fourth opening of 4| causes relay 46 to become energized and establish a holding circuit for itself.

It thus requires four current impulses through the coil of relay 43 to produce the condition in which relays 46 and 48 are both energized. When this condition is reached, the combined effect of contacts 64 and 65 of relay 46 and contacts 66 and 61 of relay 48 can be used for actuating an electrical device connected to these two sets of contacts in series. It is obvious that other combinations of contacts on the various relays could be used for causing electrical devices to be actuated after one, two, or three, impulses of current have been sent through the coil of relay 48. Relay 44 is a restoring relay which functions in the same general manner as relay 40f Fig. 1. It sometimes is desirable to operate counting circuits by means of a very sensitive relay; for example, the relay may have to be operated by the plate current of a small vacuum tube. In such cases it is frequently desirable that the relay have as few contacts as possible, so that the sensitivity can be a maximum. In the circuits of Fig. 5, relay 13 is equipped with only one movable contact, but the circuits as shown are able to register four events, and can register a. greater number if more relays are added. When switch 1| is closed, causing relay 13 to become energized, condenser 19 is connected across battery 15 through contacts on relay 88, contacts 11 and 16 on relay 13, and contacts 88 and 8| of relay 14. When switch 1| is opened, deenergizing relay 13, condenser 19 is disconnected from battery 15, and is connected across the coil of relay 86, which thus becomes energized suificiently to close contacts 90 and 9|. These contacts cause the coil of 86 to be connected across battery 15, thus causing relay 86 to become fully energized and to operate all of its contacts. Relay 86 should be designed so that when it is energized contacts 90 and 9| are closed before any of the other contacts are moved. For this purpose, a mechanical arrangement similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2 can be used, with con-- tacts 90 and 9| in the place of 20 and I9.

When relay 86 becomes fully energized it disconnects contact 11 of relay 13 from condenser 19, and connects contact 11 to condenser 92. It also disconnects contact 18 of relay 13 from the coil of relay 86, and connects it to the coil of relay 81. When relay 13 becomes energized a second time, it causes condenser 92 to become charged instead of condenser 19, and when relay 13 becomes deenergized a second time it causes condenser 92 to discharge through the coil of relay 81, thus energizing 81, which closes a holding circuit for itself and operates all of its contacts, in the same manner as relay 86.

In a similar way, the third and fourth impulses of current through the coil of relay 13 cause relays 88 and 89, respectively, to become energized. By means of contacts 93 and 94, relay 89 can then actuate an electrical device. Similar contacts could be added to relays 86, 81, and 88, for actuating electrical devices after the first, second, and third, impulses of current through the coil of relay 13.

Relay 14 acts as a restoring relay which breaks the holding circuits of relays 86, 81, 88, and 89, and places short circuits across their coils.

When relay 86 is energized, contacts 95 and 96 short-circuit condenser 19, thus insuring that there will be no charge remaining in 19 after relay 86 has been deenergized by relay 14. Similar contacts on relays 81, 88, and 89, discharge the condensers associated with these relays.

It is obvious that any number of events can be counted by the system shown in Fig. 5 without adding any contacts to relay 13, provided a sufficient number of relays similar to 86, and a sufficient number of condensers, are added.

The circuits shown in Fig. 6 are capable of counting four events, but require a smaller number of relays than the previously-described circults. When relay I03 is energized by closing 7 switch IOI, condenser I08 is connected across battery I 05, and becomes charged. When relay I 03 is deener'gized, condenser I06 is disconnected from battery I05, and is connected to condenser I01, thus causing I01 to acquire a charge from I06. When relay I03 is energized a second time, condenser I receives a charge from I01, and when relay I03 is deenergized a second time condenser I08 is connected across the coil or relay II2, which then closes its contacts, establishing a holding circuit for itself.

- the voltage of battery I05.

When relay I03 is energized a third time, condenser I09 is connected across battery I05 (through contacts on relay II2) andreceives a charge; and, when I00 is deenergized the'third time, condenser IIO receives 'a charge from I09. The fourth time I03 is energized, condenser III receives a charge from H0, and the fourth time I00 is deenergized, condenser III is connected across the coil of relay IIS, causing III to become energized and establish a holding circuit for itself.

Relay I04 is a restoring relay which breaks the locking circuits of relays H2 and III and shortcircuits the condensers when switch I02 is closed.

When one condenser is charged from another condenser, a loss of voltage occurs. For example, if condensers I06, I01, and I08, have the same capacitance, the voltage is reduced in a two-to-one ratio when I01 is charged from I06, and is reduced again in the same ratio when I08 is charged from I01. The voltage available for energizing relay H2 is therefore 4 as great as The loss of voltage can be made less by making the capacitance of I01 greater than that of I00, and by making the capacitance of 1 I06 greater than that of I01.

Because of the reduction in voltage, there is a practical limit to the number of condensers through which the charge can be passed before it is applied to the coil of a relay or other electrically-actuated device. This limit can be ex tended by applying the final condenser voltage to the grid circuit of a gas-discharge tube, as in Fig. 7, instead of to the coil of a relay, because of the greater sensitivity of the gas-discharge tube.

If switch I 2i is closed and opened four times, causing four successive impulses of current through the coil of relay I20, a charge is passed through condensers I20, I21, and so on, and a voltage is finally applied across the grid-circuit resistor, Ill, causing the gas-discharge tube, I I4, to draw current through the coil of relay Ill. Because of the formation of a positive-ion sheath around the grid elemenhgas-discharge tube I04 continues to draw current until the restoring relay, I24, is energized and opens the plate circuit of tube I34. Relay I 24 also short-circuits the condensers.

While I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will of course be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since various modifications can be made, and that I contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1 In an impulse-counting system, a condenser, switching means for causing said condenser to receive energy and subsequently to convey said energy to a portion of said system, another condenser, switching means for causing said other condenser to receive energy and subsequently to convey said energy to another portion of said system, the receipt of energy by said other coridenser being dependent on the energized condition of said first-mentioned portion of said system.

2. In an impulse-counting system, .a condenser, a device capable of being conditioned by the application of electrical energy, switching means for causing said condenser to receive energy and subsequently to convey said energy to said device, another condenser, another device capable of being conditioned by the application of electrical energy, and switching means for causing said other condenser to receive energy and subsequently to convey said energy to said other device, the receipt of energy by said other condenser being dependent on the previous conditioning of said first-mentioned device by energy from said first-mentioned condenser.

33. In a system for producing a predetermined result after the occurrence of a predetermined plurality of consecutive events, a condenser, means whereby an event of said events causes said condenser to be connected to a predetermined portion of said system, meanswhereby the same event subsequently causes said condenser to be disconnected from said portion of said system and connected to a predetermined other portion of said system, another condenser, means whereby another event of said events causes said other condenser to be connected to said other portion of said system, and means whereby said other event subsequently causes said other condenser to be disconnected from said other portion of said system and connected to a predetermined third portion of said system.

FREDERICK W. FRINK. 

